Mortal remains of nine soldiers flown to Siachen base camp

Jammu: The mortal remains of nine soldiers who died in an avalanche on Siachen glacier were today brought down to Siachen base in Ladakh sector from where they will be later taken to Leh after the weather clears.

Choppers ferried them to Siachen base from the high altitude post after a brief improvement in weather.

The helicopters are awaiting a window of good weather to further take them to Leh, the officer said, adding that the MeT department has predicted a clear day tomorrow.

"Weather between Siachen base camp and Leh is reportedly not fit for helicopter operation.

Therefore all mortal remains have been moved to Military Hospital, Hunder (near Parthapur), for embalming and custody till weather clears", he said.

Bad weather conditions had earlier hampered the airlifting of the bodies from the high altitude post in Siachen glacier.

A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and nine other soldiers of Madras Regiment were buried on February 3 after their post was hit by the avalanche at an altitude of 19,600 ft close to the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, where the temperature was minus 45 degrees Celsius.